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first night in my new Claytor

The other weekend I spent 2 nights out in the woods in my new Claytor on some property my parents own. The first night I was by myself and had a very hard time getting to sleep. I'm not sure why, I was comfortable and all, I just couldn't get to sleep. I did sleep great once I dozed off.

The second night we had a family campout and it started raining soon after we turned in for the night. We had multiple downpours throughout the night. The rain woke me up a few times, but overall, I slept very well. I hung my claytor using a method I saw on youtube instead of the recommended knots and did get some moisture in the hammock. It wasn't much, and I was in a bag, so I didn't get wet but I need to use the correct knots from now on.

I've read a bunch of stuff about the stock straps stretching but I didn't experience any of that. It seems most of you change out the suspension, but I think I'm going to give it some time and see how I like it as is.

I'll be out 4 or 5 nights over Labor Day and plan to do some more dialing in.

Good report, glad you had fun. It can be very hard to sleep in a new place and outside at first.

I find nothing wrong with the Claytor suspension. A cinch buckle is a bit more convenient, but no big deal. The way to keep water out is to make sure you have one or two knots on each side of the hammock channel, a couple of inches from the hammock body.

If it is that loose braided nylon strap ask Hacktorious how he like the quart sized puddle at the MAHHA a couple years back.... But Hey, you might not have that strap and luck.

Pan

I had the same problem. The webbing that came with my Claytors ( I don't know if they are all the same) was also a major conduit of water into my hammock. As it was as much wicking as anything else, drip lines would not help. My hammock would quickly be soaked with any significant rain.

However, once I followed Claytor's advice to put a simple knot in the webbing, one on each side of the hammock channel, 90% plus of the water was stopped. I added another knot on each side and as far as I could tell with testing and real world use, essentially 100% of water was stopped. ( I only use it on the foot end, with polyester webbing and cinch buckle on the head end) My son also has had good luck with the webbing on both ends.

bronconite, the knot technique might not work with yours, but a quick test in the back yard with a hose or bucket should tell you all you need to know.

I had a friend who took a dif approach with the stock webbing. He cut off a piece of it on each side of the hammock channel. Then I tied a bow line on each side of the channel, instead of on just one side as per Claytors directions. Then he just clipped his carabiner through the bowlines. He attached the remaining line to the biner, around the tree and back to the biner and did a slipped half hitch plus another half hitch as per Claytor. So, a biner between tree strap and hammock bowlines. Worked just fine, for the added weight of the biner on each end, which he had with him anyway.

I had the same problem. The webbing that came with my Claytors ( I don't know if they are all the same) was also a major conduit of water into my hammock. As it was as much wicking as anything else, drip lines would not help. My hammock would quickly be soaked with any significant rain.

However, once I followed Claytor's advice to put a simple knot in the webbing, one on each side of the hammock channel, 90% plus of the water was stopped. I added another knot on each side and as far as I could tell with testing and real world use, essentially 100% of water was stopped. ( I only use it on the foot end, with polyester webbing and cinch buckle on the head end) My son also has had good luck with the webbing on both ends.

bronconite, the knot technique might not work with yours, but a quick test in the back yard with a hose or bucket should tell you all you need to know.

I had a friend who took a dif approach with the stock webbing. He cut off a piece of it on each side of the hammock channel. Then I tied a bow line on each side of the channel, instead of on just one side as per Claytors directions. Then he just clipped his carabiner through the bowlines. He attached the remaining line to the biner, around the tree and back to the biner and did a slipped half hitch plus another half hitch as per Claytor. So, a biner between tree strap and hammock bowlines. Worked just fine, for the added weight of the biner on each end, which he had with him anyway.

Thanks for the great info. I did read your knot procedure in another thread and that is my next plan. I hope to get out this weekend, although it doesn't look like rain, I will definitly get the knot setup figured out so I'm ready. Thanks again.

Thanks for the great info. I did read your knot procedure in another thread and that is my next plan. I hope to get out this weekend, although it doesn't look like rain, I will definitly get the knot setup figured out so I'm ready. Thanks again.

You are welcome. If you want to be safe you can test that approach in the backyard with a bucket and/or hose. That way you will know if it is going to work for you before you wake up soaked and cold at 3 A.M. and far from home.